Rashid Al-Ghannushi Quotes & Sayings

French laicite is probably aggressive and antagonistic to the religion, but there are other models of secularism in the world where there could be reconciliation between religion and secularism. — Rashid Al-Ghannushi

I believe that women should have equal rights to education, to work and to civic and political engagement. — Rashid Al-Ghannushi

We in Tunisia have no problem with respecting other people's religion, and we have a long tradition of that. — Rashid Al-Ghannushi

Under Tunisian law, a woman can divorce her husband. Total equality. — Rashid Al-Ghannushi

There are common denominators that unite all members of al-Nahda: There is no one in al-Nahda who doubts about Islam There is no one in al-Nahda that believes in extremist views of Islam. — Rashid Al-Ghannushi

I dream of a free, democratic, peaceful Tunisia, a country that can protect its developing identity. — Rashid Al-Ghannushi

In our modern age - in the age of free information - I don't think there is any place for dictatorships. — Rashid Al-Ghannushi

I hope that with the success of the transition to democracy in Tunisia that we will export to Egypt a working democratic model. — Rashid Al-Ghannushi

What Tunisia urgently needs, is freedom and the building of a real democracy. — Rashid Al-Ghannushi

No one in al-Nahda believes that jihad is a way to impose Islam on the world. But we believe that jihad is self-control, is social and political struggle, and even military jihad is only a way to defend oneself in the case of aggression. — Rashid Al-Ghannushi

Al-Nahda is a movement; it is not just a small party. — Rashid Al-Ghannushi

I will not be standing for office. I'm nearing 70; there are younger people within our movement. I just wish to contribute intellectually to the historic process of taking Tunisia from the era of repression to one of democracy. — Rashid Al-Ghannushi

Just like in medicine, when the normal medicine no longer works, one resorts to surgery. And the revolutions is like the surgery: It's painful, and it's the last resort for nations. — Rashid Al-Ghannushi

There is no one in al-Nahda that is 'violence is a means of change or to keep power.' Everyone in al-Nahda believes that democracy is the only way to reach power and to stay in power. — Rashid Al-Ghannushi

I believe democracy will succeed in Tunisia, but I also believe that it will succeed in the other Arab Spring countries. — Rashid Al-Ghannushi

The dictatorship needs to be entirely dismantled. All the rest of the old guard must go. — Rashid Al-Ghannushi

Tunisia will continue to be a source of influence, not through its size but through the ideas and the models that it represents. — Rashid Al-Ghannushi